Following the War of the Spanish Succession, under terms of the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), the island became part of the British colony of Nova Scotia.

[12] In later years, it was remarked that merchant ships secretly putting ashore at Eastport, Maine would report in ledgers that they travelled to "Sweden" once or twice a day with their wares.

[10][13] In 1866, a band of more than 700 members of the Fenian Brotherhood arrived at the Maine shore opposite the island with the intention of seizing Campobello[14] but were dispersed by British warships from Halifax.

[15] British naval officer John James Robinson became owner of the island in 1857 by virtue of having married Owen's daughter.

In the 1880s, the island was developed as a resort summer colony for wealthy Canadians and Americans, as was nearby St. Andrews, New Brunswick and Bar Harbor, Maine.

Reaching mainland Canada by car without crossing an international border is possible only during the summer season and requires two separate ferry trips, first to nearby Deer Island, then to L'Etete.

The latter was created in 1964 and was officially opened by U.S. President Lyndon Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson in 1966.

The island's only highway, Route 774, is connected by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge to Lubec, Maine – the easternmost town in the continental United States.

[37] United States Customs and Border Protection service began searching packages to the island, originating in Canada, in 2019, prompting outcry.

Driving to mainland Canada requires travel into Maine via the bridge, which proved difficult during the restrictions imposed on both sides of the border during the COVID-19 pandemic in North America.

Member of Parliament John Williamson said "I think we’re in a position that some infrastructure dollars could be made available once the province has a plan and proposal ready to submit".